This invention relates to a construction hanger for rigidly interconnecting a building wall of dry-wall construction to a suspended ceiling for forming a rigid integral ceiling-wall constriction. More particularly, the hanger engages and securely holds a structural wall channel member in a closely spaced relation to a ceiling inverted tee support member.
It has been common practice in commercial building construction to utilize a suspended ceiling and walls of a dry-wall construction. The ceiling is constructed of a plurality of inverted tee support members suspended to form a grid system for supporting ceiling tiles. Utilizing a suspended ceiling, however, presents a problem of how to support the building walls, particularly upper support for the walls. It has been common practice to utilize a structural channel member to which wall panels could be attached as the upper wall structural member and to attach the channel member to the ceiling inverted tee support members. Attachment of the channel member to the tee support member involved aligning the channel member with the tee support member and then drilling holes in the two aligned members for connection with screws, or by utilizing self tapping screws and a power screwdriver to attach the two members together. The projecting screw portion above the tee member often had to be clipped in order that the ceiling tiles could be inserted. To install a concealed ceiling, in which the tee support members are concealed by the ceiling tiles, a spacer block, commonly of plywood, had to be cut and inserted between the tee support member and the channel member before attachment of the two members. Holes then had to be cut in the ceiling tiles to accommodate the spacer blocks. This procedure was laborious and time-consuming, and often the channel members and tee support members were not properly aligned when attached, which increased problems of constructing the wall later.
Other prior art includes special clips for suspending ceiling inverted tee support members such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,708,941 and 3,784,177, and a furring hanger disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,631,809. Other patents directed to wall construction include U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,017,911 and 3,295,284, but the construction disclosed therein utilizes apparatus and clips for suspending runners for supporting ceiling tiles or for attaching runners to wall joists for supporting wall panels. These patents do not disclose a rigidly interconnected, suspended tile ceiling and building dry-wall structure utilizing a construction hanger for interconnecting inverted tee support members of a suspended ceiling wall structural channel members.
Other prior art includes special hangers for suspending lighting fixtures from ceiling inverted tee support members as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,589,660, 3,780,973 and 3,797,791. These hangers are special purpose hangers and do not involve wall or ceiling construction.
These hangers are generally constructed to provide for ease of attachment by one skilled in lighting fixture installation and allow for manipulation along the tee support member subsequent to installation rather than a fixed installation. Further, these hangers generally provide only a rather loose support for the lighting fixtures since a rigid combination is not required.
Accordingly, one primary feature of the present invention is to provide a construction hanger for rigidly interconnecting a suspended ceiling and building wall.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a hanger for rigidly interconnecting a ceiling inverted tee support member and a structural wall channel member in constructing an interconnected ceiling and wall.
Yet another feature of the present invention is to provide a hanger for rigidly interconnecting a ceiling inverted tee support member and a structural wall channel member that is inexpensive and easy to install.
Still another feature of the present invention is to provide a hanger for rigidly interconnecting a ceiling inverted tee support member and a structural wall channel member that is self-attaching without the need for screw fasteners or the like.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a hanger for rigidly interconnecting a ceiling inverted tee support member and a structural wall channel member that may be utilized with a variety of wall channel member designs.
Yet another feature of the present invention is to provide a hanger for rigidly interconnecting a ceiling inverted tee support member and a structural wall channel member that may be installed by hand utilizing a pair of pliers, thus eliminating the need for electrically driven power tools.